


Invisible Boy

by Sir_Nerdalot



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cool Nico, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Murder, Nico is older than Percy, Percy Angst, Percy whump, Poor Percy, Rich Nico, depressed percy, loner percy, percy almost dies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-01-22 13:56:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12483188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sir_Nerdalot/pseuds/Sir_Nerdalot
Summary: Percy Jackson is just another loner in his high school with a huge crush on track champion Nico Di Angelo. At school he's invisible and at home he wishes he was invisible. Anything to escape the endless abuse at the hands of his step-father, Gabe Ugliano.He was fine living with the pain and loneliness until his mother was killed and his step-father kicked him out.Alone, dying in an alley, what is Percy to do?





	1. In the Alley

Percy's back hurt. It throbbed against the cold brick wall in the alley. Blood was leaking out of the many cuts on his back and feet. In this weather, he knew he wouldn't last long. He didn't even want to last long, he had nothing else to live for. His mother, the only one who cared about him, died. Hit in the street and dead before she touched the ground again.

Smelly Gabe, Percy's step-father, didn't care. If anything he was only angry that the money wasn't coming in as much and there was no one to make him dip. The funeral was cheap and quick. No one went except for Percy, a priest, and a few volunteer pall bearers. It was depressing and painful and rainy. Why were funerals always rainy?

By the time Percy got back Gabe was even drunker. The minute Percy opened the door a beer bottle was chucked at his face. 

I guess that's the one thing Gabe helped him with, dodging things. A useful skill unless Gabe actually got up. When Gabe stood there was no escape. He had to accept it. His back would be torn to shred, his feet demolished from the glass, his body beaten and bruised. Percy was alone.

It was better during the school year. Gabe didn't want to go through the trouble of court for child abuse so he always let up around school. That way it was easier for Percy to blend into the background. He tried to hide himself in the corner so no one would bother him.

During lunch he sat in the far right corner of his cafeteria. No one was ever in that seat nor would anyone ever willingly sit next to him. He was perfectly fine with that for the longest time. He never had any friends and he wasn't necessarily interested in them either.

That was... until...

Nico Di Angelo. The track champ at their school. He was a little punk-ish but also kinda peppy at the same time. Percy once overheard some girls sighing and calling him the "Italian Stallion." 

Nico seemed to be the exact opposite of Percy. He was popular, always surrounded by his group of friends. Every time he walked into a room everyone would see him. The teachers loved him as did their peers. It also helped that Nico was rich. Really rich. Nico's bedroom was probably as big as Percy's whole house.

Not only that, Nico was super kind. He was the only person in the school to ever truly smile at Percy. Percy had been walking into a class that they shared together and Nico smiled and nodded at him before Percy blushed and looked away. Percy had once been assigned to be Nico's partner in Marine Biology. Nico was amazing the whole time, joking around, actually managing a laugh out of him.

Nico invited Percy to come eat with him at his lunch group but Percy quickly declined. He didn't want Nico to see what a freak he was. Gabe made sure Percy knew how useless he was, how unwanted. Nico was so nice to him and he didn't want to ruin that memory by spending more and more time with him until Nico hated him.

Then winter break came around. Percy's mom died and Gabe exploded in anger. The beatings got worse and worse until Gabe finally lost his interest and kicked Percy out.

Winter was freezing and Percy hardly had enough time to grab even the lightest of his jackets.

What was he going to do? He would die! He would die if he stayed out here any longer. Death would be welcome. He would see his mother. He wanted to see his mother.

Percy shivered violently as a cold breeze blew past him. He dreamed of someone coming for him. Crying for him. But that was impossible. No one was coming. No one cared. No one cared.

He let his eyes drift shut, perhaps for the final time, and Percy prepared for- "Hello?"

Percy tried to open his eyes. He wanted to see whoever was talking to him. 

"Hello? Are you okay?" The voice called again. 

Percy felt himself fading. No! Someone was here! He had to stay awake! He had to survive! Wake up wake up wake up! Frustration built as Percy once again failed to wake himself up enough to move around.

"It's really cold out. Do you need me to call some- Percy?" 

This person knew him? No one knew him. Was this his mom? Was Percy really dead? Percy prayed that this would be his mom coming to collect him and embrace him once more. He was so cold, he needed someone to hug him and warm him up.

"Oh my god, Percy! How did this-? One second!" The voice shuffled around, wrapping their arms around Percy and covering him in their winter coat, "Hello? 911? It's my friend. He's passed out in an alley and he's bleeding! Please he-!" And that's when Percy passed out.


	2. Are You Okay?

Percy woke up under crisp white sheets. He wasn't dead and he wasn't with his mother. What was the point of going on anymore? There was no one left that cared for him, not even in the stupid way of simply shelter with a side of beatings. He had no one and nowhere to return to. 

Percy didn't have the energy to cry, he didn't have the will to cry. He wasn't sad necessarily, he felt... empty. Empty and cold. Then he remembered, someone was there. It wasn't his mother but it was someone. Probably just some wannabe good samaritan that felt a need to save someone that day. You can't exactly save a guy if he doesn't want to be saved. All that stranger did was condemn Percy to an orphanage or back to the streets to prolong his suffering. 

"Percy Jackson?" 

His head remained down, he didn't want to talk to anyone. 

"I'm your doctor, Apollo Solace." The man continued. He walked so that he was in Percy's view. Blond, tan, blue eyes, Percy had seen it all before. "You've been badly injured." Percy almost snorted, he knew that. He could feel it, he could remember. "Your friend found you and we brought you in. We need to know if you have any relative we can call or-"

"No." Percy interrupted, his voice raw.

Apollo nodded, "Alright."

"How bad is it?" Percy asked. He needed to get this over with so he could leave. He didn't want to jack up the bills any higher than they already were. He had no way to pay this off.

"I won't lie. It's pretty bad. Your back and feet were really cut up and you lost a lot of blood. You'll need to stay here for at lest a few day's so you can heal a bit more." Apollo looked over to the window then back at him, "You need to rest."

Percy shook his head, "I can't stay here. I need to go."

"You'll get an infection if you leave now. You need antibiotics and proper care. If you get an infection you'll get very sick and you might die." Apollo warned him.

"I know."

"I'm a doctor, I can't let you do something I know will harm you." Apollo stated firmly, "You'll stay here and heal."

Percy growled, tears of frustration welling up in his eyes, "I can't stay. I have no money so I can't pay." 

Apollo smiled gently, a sparkle in his eye that wasn't there before, "You don't need to worry about paying, the di Angelos made sure you were well paid for. Money is nothing you need to concern yourself about. What you do need to concern yourself about is relaxing, alright." Apollo stood up to leave, "If you need anything or have any questions just press that button," he pointed to a little grey button down by Percy's hand, "and a nurse will come. I need to go now but I'll be back in later," and with that he left.

Percy laid back down again and looked up at the plain white and grey ceiling, di Angelo? So Nico found him? Nico knew him? He shook those thoughts out of his head, Nico didn't really care about him anyway. If Percy wanted to go somewhere where people cared about him he'd have to die and go to his mother. Maybe soon he would. Percy closed his eyes and let sleep wash over him, hopefully soon he would.

. . . . .

Percy dreamed of the past.

His mother knelt a few feet away from him, arms outstretched and a huge smile on her face she called, "Come here, Percy! I love you, come here!" She still had her red, white, and blue Sweet on America uniform on and smelled of candy. "Come on, Percy! Just a little closer!"

Percy grinned and tried to move... but he couldn't. He tried harder but his feet felt as if they were stuck on the ground. "Mom!" He cried.

Sally Jackson just kept smiling, "Come here, Percy! Come to me! I love you!"

When Percy looked down this time he saw the ugly face of his step-father staring back at him, a twisted sneer on his face. Cigarette stained hand wrapped around his ankles, pinning them down as Percy struggled more and more to get away. "Mom! Help!"

"Percy, please come here! I'm so lonely without you!" Sally yelled.

"I'm trying, Mom, I swear I am!" Percy sobbed, he needed to go to his mother. When would he see her again? "Mom!"

He saw a car fast approaching and he screamed, closing his eyes so the crash would not be visible to him. But then he was somewhere else. In the halls of his school. Books clutched in his arms as pain cascaded down his back. People rushed past him as they hurried to get to their next class. The more people knocked into him the more his back hurt. Tears blurred his vision as he grit his teeth to hold in the pain.

More and more people ran into him at increasing levels of intensity until someone knocked him to the ground. His papers flew every which way and his back bled sluggishly against his shirt. People just kept walking around him, no concern shown for their trampled on peer. Every time he attempted to get up another foot would slam into him, pushing him back down to the cold floor. Soon he just accepted his current reality allowing the pain to consume him.

"Hello? Are you okay?" A voice asked him.

Percy tried to look up but he couldn't turn his head without a bolt of pain.

"Hello? Are you okay?" The voice repeated.

Percy cried as he forced his head to turn.

Then he saw him, Nico di Angelo, kneeling next to him.

"Are you okay?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another angst filled chapter, poor Percy. Sorry Nico wasn't in this one. He'll be in the next chapter though! Feel free to leave a comment, they are really appreciated! Once again, have a wonderful day!
> 
> -Sir_Nerdalot


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I haven't posted anything for a while. I was gone for a week in a place with no wifi so I couldn't do anything. Luckily, I'm back home and have wifi!

Percy woke up once again disoriented and confused. The steady beeping of machines filled his ears and filtered sunlight poured over him. His eyes roamed until they landed on someone sitting in a chair next to his bed currently reading something on their phone. He couldn't get his eyes to focus yet, sleep hadn't quite left him since he woke up.

The person on the chair noticed his sleep blurred eyes staring at them and straightened up, "Hey, Percy. How are you feeling?" The man smacked his forehead, "You're in a hospital, that was a stupid question I'm sorry."

Percy rubbed his eyes and blinked blearily up at the man. Oh god, Nico di Angelo. How? Why? "Wha?" Was all he could say.

Nico blushed furiously and grabbed at the hem of his shirt, "Uh, yeah. Sorry, I don't know if this is weirding you out, uh, but I figured, you know, we're friends, right? And friends should always be there for each other and yeah. Plus, I mean, I thought, you know, you might like company, or something... maybe." Nico stammered nervously.

Still not completely up yet, Percy just blinked at him. Nico smiled back, "Yeah. If you don't want me to be here I can leave."

Percy quickly shook his head before wincing from the pain of the sudden movement. "No," he said, realizing how hoarse his voice sounded, "Stay."

Nico nodded and complied, "I- If you don't have a place to stay, um, my home is always open to you." Nico blushed, "Uh, yeah. You're super welcome at my house, Percy. So, um, once you get out of the hospital, you can, I can drive you to, um, the di Angelo house."

Percy's eyes widened, "What? No. No, I can't. You've already done so- too much. Please, I can't-"

"If anything we haven't done enough. Percy, we're friends-"

"We talked like once," Percy scoffed causing Nico to smile at the display of... sass?

"Okay, we've definitely talked more than once, Percy. Plus, I like you, we're friends and friends help each other." Nico put his hand on the edge of Percy's bed. "I'd love to help you, Percy." Now it was Percy's time to blush.

"I..." Percy resigned to his new situation and nodded, "But the minute I feel like I'm becoming a burden I'm gone. And I won't be coming back."

"Percy-"

"That's the only way." Percy stated. 

"Fine, but you'll never be a burden and you've never been a burden so you don't need to worry about that at all." Nico smiled. 

Percy rolled his eyes and Dr. Solace walked into the room. "Oh, hi Nico." Dr. Solace smiled, "Can you leave for a few moment? I need to speak with Percy alone."

Nico nodded and waved to Percy, "Bye, I'll be back in a bit!"

When the door had closed behind Nico Apollo turned to Percy. "Percy, your back is healing very well but we noticed some older injuries and that brings up questions about your previous guardian. I am obligated to ask you if everything was okay back there."

Percy felt all the blood leave his face, "Yes," he said dryly, "everything was fine."

"Percy-"

"Everything was fine now drop it!" Percy yelled. "I don't want to talk about this anymore! Get out!" He heard his voice break and he grimaced, tears flowing down his cheeks. "Got out of my room! I don't want to talk!"

Apollo nodded, "Alright, Percy. We won't make you say anything." With one hand on the door knob, Apollo looked back at Percy, "But, please, if you ever reconsider, I'm always here." 

When Apollo left Percy was alone. And... he didn't want that. He didn't want to be alone anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter was really short and I'm sorry but I hope you liked it! Comments are super awesome so feel free to leave one down below!


	4. Chapter 4

Percy tried not to cry as he was once again left alone in his room. He'd yelled at the doctor to go away so didn't he deserve this? This endless cycle of loneliness and despair. After a little while Nico came back in. He saw Percy, the state of him curled on the bed with red rimmed eyes and immediately sat putting his hand on Percy's bed. Offering it if he needed to hold someone.

Percy stayed the way he was for a few more minutes before slowly uncurling and latching onto the Italian's hand. They remained like that for a nice long time, long enough for Percy to regain his bearings before either of them decided to speak. 

Nico let out a soft breath, "Hey, Perce. I don't know what happened but I want you to know it's okay." Nico squeezed the hand in his a little bit, "Feel free to go to sleep. I won't leave. Not matter what they say I will not leave you."

Percy let sleep take him, not because he believed Nico's promise but because if he didn't sleep soon he would pass out.

. . . .

Nico was not stranger to depression. Well he was a bit of a stranger. He never suffered from it himself but he watched his sister suffer through it. 

Bianca was a popular girl. She was captain of the volleyball team, captain of the swim team, class president, all the things people aspired to be. That might be why they never saw it. No one noticed how somedays she would go home, lock herself in her room, and just cry. They didn't see the pain she went through everyday, trying to keep a straight face, a happy smile, not showing that she was dying inside.

People didn't notice the red rimmed eyes behind the mascara. Their father, Hades di Angelo, never noticed either. He spurred her on, slightly pressuring her into the sports and leadership roles saying that they were necessary for any college application and they would help her succeed. Before their mother died Bianca loved it, she loved the sports she did and the student leadership positions.

Their mother helped her with any stress she found on herself, calming her and caring for her while their father was away. After her death, Bianca was different. People chalked it off to a mourning period, she would get better, Nico had. Nico knew, however, he saw the sadness in her eyes.

He was young, didn't know how to comfort his sister. He hated himself for not knowing.

He tried to do what his mother did when Bianca cried but it didn't have the same effect. It never would.

A year after their mother died Bianca took her own life. Nico spent three days locked in his room, never coming out, not even for food. The funeral was enormous and bleak. Their father came, he cleared time in his busy schedule to come. A month later Hazel was introduced to him. Hazel was about a year younger than him, she was Hades' illegitimate child. His mother was still alive when Hazel was conceived. Nico was angry, not at Hazel, his little sister was dear to him, he could never be angry at her, especially not for something his father did.

He stopped talking to his father after that. Only truly remaining in the household and not moving in with his "cousin" Thalia because Hazel needed him.

He liked his cousin. Though she was not truly his cousin. Their father were partners at the Olympus business, one of the wealthiest businesses in the world that did things from funding legal firms to trading building for billions of dollars. The three founders started from nothing. Zeus Grace, a man raised in London with only his mother to care for him leading him to take many jobs after she got cancer. His father, Hades di Angelo. Raised in Naples his father and mother ran a failing restaurant that was soon squashed which lead to their immigration to America. And Poseidon Oceania, from California he made his way up through beachside jobs.

Zeus had two kids, Thalia and Jason. Thalia practically raised Jason, Zeus, like Hades was kept up at work most of the time. His wife, Hera, was not their mother and hated them both with a passion. She married Zeus a few years after Thalia and Jason's mother died during childbirth. She was distrustful of Zeus but remained married to him, she hated the idea of divorce, though it would make her undesirable for other potential husbands.

Poseidon only had one kid, a few years older than Nico, Triton was... serious. He wanted to follow in his fathers footsteps and wouldn't do anything that might risk that which meant he was not fun to hang out with at all. His wife, Amphitrite, is easily the closest thing to a mother he had after his own died. She was kind but skeptical of Poseidon's fidelity. She revealed that to Nico after one too many glasses of expensive red wine.

Percy, reminded Nico of Bianca. This time he wanted to do it right. He wanted to help Percy the way he couldn't help Bianca.

He'd known Percy for a while. Always trying to strike up conversation only for Percy to shrink away. When he first worked with Percy on a project Nico quickly developed a crush on him.

Nico was super happy that he could help Percy. Even if right now it was just by having his medical bills paid, giving him a place to stay, and holding his hand. Hopefully, Percy would like his friends and allow Nico to help him out in any way he could. 

Percy looked so small, even though he was only a year younger than Nico. He was small, pale, and skinny. He was crying slightly in his sleep, tears leaking from his closed eyes down his cheeks. 

Hades wasn't entirely excited about another person in his house but when he voiced that slight displeasure Nico shut him down with a swift, "It's not like we don't have the money for it."

He didn't want Percy to stay with his step-father. Percy was amazing, so amazing and he shouldn't be left with someone that abuses him.

Nico wanted to give Percy a home, a safe, beautiful home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't updated this since November!!! I'm sorry! I completely lost inspiration for a very long time but I've got it back a bit now. I hope I can keep a hold on it this time!
> 
> Please comment, I love seeing what you guys think! Have an amazing day!


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